Though I have lived in California for the majority of my life, I had never been to Disneyland until recently. Sharing my first visit with my 4-year-old niece, Tsuna, made the experience even more special.
We began our adventure by meeting Belle at the park entrance on the first day. Noticing Tsuna's snow day shirt, Belle invited her to join the next snowball fight with Beast. Tsuna's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Our first ride was Peter Pan's Flight, an original attraction from the park's opening. Unfortunately, Tsuna found it too dark. She said she liked the Dumbo ride, but the whale next to it scared her, so she vowed never to go on it again.
On the third day, Tsuna dressed as Belle, complete with princess shoes, Beauty and the Beast Mickey Mouse ears, and a tiara and earrings. Dad, AJ, helped with her shoes in the parking lot, while Mom, Carrie, did her makeup before going in. Despite not being a fan of rides, Tsuna adored the Disney Junior Dance Party and meeting Disney characters.
Tsuna's favorite moments were when characters noticed her princess dress and gave her big, warm hugs. During the parade, she enthusiastically waved and shouted, "Hey, Elsa! Over here!" and "Hey, Buzz! Over here!" The Thanksgiving parade ended with Santa, adding to the magic. The famous Disneyland Christmas tree at the start of Main Street was fully decorated, with ornaments the size of Tsuna's head, and presents bigger than she was laid underneath.
Mickey Mouse pretzels were a hit with Tsuna. She meticulously tore the ears off first, then disassembled Mickey's face in a precise order. On the third and fourth days, we tracked down as many characters as possible, with pretzels as our perfect snack between meetings.
We kept Tsuna awake to watch the fireworks show at the Disneyland castle on the last day of the trip. Equipped with Granny and Papa's AirPods Max for ear protection, she was ready. Watching her awe and excitement, especially at meeting her favorite characters and feeling like a princess, made our trip unforgettable.
Tsuna summed it up best: "It feels like you're flying through the air at Disneyland!" It's safe to say, her first visit to the happiest place on Earth was spectacular, and experiencing it through her eyes made my first visit even more magical.
